It Happened in January
by indigoey
Summary: Pansy Parkinson almost didn't come back for eighth year, if not for a certain whimsical blonde. Creative swearing, minor drarry.
1. I Hate You, Draco Malfoy

Hogwarts eighth year. Pansy Parkinson surprised herself by coming at all. She wouldn't have, if not for Draco and his sad crush on Harry Potter, the Golden Boy. There may have been other reasons for coming back, and those reasons possibly could have been related to a certain girl a year below Pansy, but the only person who knew about that was Draco and, Pansy decided, she wanted it to stay that way.

Several months into eighth year everyone had begun to settle down, even Draco, for once in his life, after he had miraculously ended up with his annoying crush that he had been whining to Pansy about since fourth year. It was a relief to have a break from that, but, honestly, she could barely stand the two if them sometimes, making out in the common room of the one house that all the eighth years shared, appropriately called "Eighth Year House."

It was on one of these annoying days in the common room, Pansy attempting to ignore how Draco had his head in the lap of that godawful Gryffindor, that a person who was not supposed to be there appeared in the common room.

"Hello, Luna," Harry Potter greeted the mysteriously appearing girl, his hand tangled in Draco's blonde hair. "Good to see you, but how'd you get in? You're not eighth year."

Luna shrugged, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Fuck, she was adorable.

Draco sat up, opting instead to pull Harry against his side. "Luna." He greeted, shifting his eyes to Pansy. She glared back.

"Hello, Harry, Draco, Pansy," said Luna, smiling at each of them in turn. "I was about to Hogsmeade, it being Saturday and all. Perhaps you'd like to join me?"

"Draco and I would love to," answered Harry.

Draco nodded in agreement. "So would Pansy." He smirked.

Pansy noticed her friend leaning in to whisper something to Harry, and a second later, the "saviour" laughed and looked at Pansy incredulously. Pansy scooted closer to punch Draco in the arm.

Luna didn't seem at all fazed by the strange actions and simply stared of into space rather solemnly for an awkward moment until Harry stood up and mentioned that they should all get their coats for the harsh January weather.

Harry and Draco disappeared into the boy's dormitory, leaving Pansy with Luna, for they were both already in their coats.

"Hi, Luna," Pansy said, feeling herself blush up to her hairline.

"Hello, Pansy. I'm glad you're coming with us."

"Yeah, don't want you third-wheeling those two or anything!" Pansy said, wincing the moment she said it. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Harry loves Draco. I don't get upset when they ignore me. There are lots of others to talk to, anyhow."

"Like who?"

Luna waved a hand dismissively. "Thestrals, Nargles, other things."

Pansy was confused. What in Merlin's shit was a Thestral? She raised an eyebrow at Luna, but Luna had already gone back to staring off at some corner of the room.

A moment later, the boys came back, and they were off to Hogsmeade, walking in two lines in the snow, and because Harry and Draco were never apart at that point, Pansy ended up walking behind them, next to Luna.

"Do you like the snow?" Pansy asked, attempting to make conversation.

Luna shook her head whilst attempting to catch a snowflake on her tongue.

"Really? Why not?"

Luna's piercing silver eyes looked directly into Pansy's, and for a moment she actually seemed like a real person. "Snow reminds me of death."

"Then why are you out here?"

Luna shrugged and looked in the opposite direction of Pansy. "I'm not afraid."

The way she spoke those few simple words gave Pansy the impression that she wasn't talking about snow or dying or any of that. It sounded rather as if she were talking to herself.

They reached Hogsmeade, and Pansy grabbed Draco's arm, pulling him away from his boyfriend. "I'm stealing Draco."

Harry smiled and held on to Draco's hand as long as he could as Pansy dragged the lovesick blonde idiot away.

"Why did you tell Harry?" Pansy demanded as soon as they were out of earshot.

Draco played dumb. "Tell him what?"

"You know what you did!"

He smirked. "Fine, fine. I did, Pans, but I don't see any reason why not to. What's the worst that could happen? Harry's her friend; he'll find out if you have a chance."

"But what if he tells her and she doesn't like me! What will I do _then_?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "God, Pans, you're so dramatic. If Luna doesn't like you like that, she'll say so and life will go on. That's really all there is to it."

"I hate you, Draco. Now go back to PDA-ing your boyfriend and leave me to wallow in my lesbian sadness."

"Dramatic!" Draco sang as he walked back over to where Harry was waiting. Pansy flipped him off.

Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but, as she moved to the front of the pack to lead them into the Hog's Head, it almost seemed like Luna was staring at her, and smiling.


	2. I Just Love to be in Love

They sat at a table drinking butterbeer, Draco and Harry on one side of the table, leaning into each other, and Pansy and Luna on the other side.

"So, Luna," said Draco conversationally. "I really don't know you all that well, and, you being my boyfriend's close friend, we should change that. Why don't you talk a little about yourself?" He winked at Pansy. She scowled.

Luna leaned in, like she was about to share an exciting secret, and whispered, "I've seen death. A lot of it. And I was trapped in Draco's family's dungeon. They didn't give me much food."

Pansy was shocked. Was Luna really that messed up, despite her whimsical personality?

"What about love?" Asked Draco. "Have you ever dated anyone?"

Luna appeared to contemplate this. "A bit. There was a boy last year, and a girl over the summer. She was interesting, and very pretty."

A pang of jealousy went through Pansy's heart, accompanied by a ray of hope. This girl had gotten Luna before her, and Pansy had no right to be mad, but she was anyway. However, this meant that Pansy could have a chance!

"A girl?" Asked Draco, interpreting the look on Pansy's face.

"A girl." Luna confirmed. "I suppose I'm not quite straight. I don't really care about labels like that, anyway. I just love to be in love."

Pansy tried to bite back a smile. God, Luna was perfect.

"You know," said Draco, nonchalantly, "Pansy here also likes girls."

Pansy wasn't sure whether or not to be mad at him. That was basically outing her to Luna, but the smile on Luna's face could mean that something could happen. Pansy's heart raced.

"Draco and I are going to go be alone. You know, make out or something. I know Pansy gets incredibly uncomfortable around that, so you two can stay here." Harry said, giving Pansy a look.

"That sounds fun," said Luna. "I think Pansy and I will get to know each other well."

Pansy tried not to read into that.

"Bye Harry, Draco." Luna waved goodbye, silver eyes smiling.

As soon as they left, Luna turned to Pansy excitedly. "Want to go to the forest?"

"The Forbidden Forest? You know it's called that for a reason, right?" The nickname "Looney Luna" really was fitting.

Luna beamed. "I'm there all the time. Trust me."

_Trust me._ If she wanted any chance at all with this girl, of course Pansy had to.

"I do. I trust you."

"Then let's go!" Luna took Pansy by the hand and pulled her out Hog's Head and towards the Forbidden Forest. All Pansy noticed about the trip over was that Luna did not let go of her hand.


	3. Anything

The Forbidden Forest was dark. Pansy followed Luna cautiously, gripping her hand tightly. Luna seemed fine, like she didn't hear the strange cracks and animal calls coming from every direction.

"Luna?" Pansy whispered in the darkness. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"Not completely sure, no." Pansy could hear Luna's slight smile in her voice. "Do you still trust me?"

Pansy took a deep breath to calm herself. "Yes."

"This way." Luna brought them around a large tree and through a shroud of hanging plants. Pansy gasped in astonishment.

There before them was a sunny clearing, with large rocks and fallen trees that could be used as seats. It was straight out of a fairytale, vines hanging off of overhanging branches and patches of soft green grass on the ground.

"What do you think?" Asked Luna.

"It's beautiful," breathed Pansy.

"I like to come here to read. It's nice, feels like the forest is talking to me."

"Do you bring your friends here often?" Asked Pansy

"No. You're the first." Luna's eyes darted up to Pansy's before looking back down at the forest floor.

"Why me?"

"I'm not sure. I have a feeling that you are going to be important somehow."

"I don't think I'll be all that important. I'm part of the Slytherin house, and friends with Draco, people widely regard me as evil, if they think of me at all. I'm nothing." Pansy dropped Luna's hand.

Luna looked shyly back up at her, brushing blonde hair out of her eyes. "People call _me _Looney Luna, but I saved many during the war. I led Ginny and Ron to safety at the Battle of Hogwarts. Expectations don't matter. We can be anything."

"Anything?"

Luna's hand found Pansy's again, and their fingers intertwined. "Anything."


	4. Strange, Perfect, and Adorable

When she returned to the Eighth Year common room after coming back from the Forbidden Forest and parting ways with Luna, Draco was already waiting, his feet propped up and using Harry as a pillow. Pansy plopped down on the couch next to him.

"How did it go?" Draco prompted.

Pansy shrugged. "Okay, I guess. She took me to the Forbidden Forest."

"Isn't that place forbidden for a reason?"

"That's what I said."

Draco laughed. "Luna's strange, isn't she?"

"Strange, perfect, and adorable," corrected Pansy. "Anyway, what did you two end up doing? I know the snogging thing was just an excuse to get Luna and I alone."

"Actually," said Harry, interjecting, "we did exactly that. In the boy's dormitory. Ron was pissed."

Pansy punched Draco in the arm. "You guys are disgusting."

Draco laughed. "C'mon, Pans. You know you'd do the same thing."

Pansy bit back a smile at the image of her and Luna in Harry and Draco's position.

Draco noticed this, and had the nerve to point it out. "Aw, look, Harry! She's smiling!"

Pansy hit him again and got up to leave. "I hate you. Why don't I have any friends who aren't gay boys?"

"Actually," Draco corrected, "Blaise and Harry are bisexual."

Pansy headed up to the girls' dormitory. "Still hate you!" She called behind her.

Pansy collapsed onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Anything. Did Luna intend for her to take that in the way she wholeheartedly did? Maybe it was nothing. Maybe she just meant that they could be friends, nothing more. At this point, Pansy was willing to cling to any shred of hope that maybe one day they would be together. As much as it was annoying, Harry and Draco's relationship was something Pansy had always wanted for herself, studying together, using the other's lap as a pillow, small things like that. Those were the things that really mattered to Pansy, and the things she was sure she'd never have.

"Alright, Parkinson?" Granger stood above Pansy, a concerned look on her face.

"Yes." Said Pansy curtly, sitting up and heading back out to the common room. Ever since Harry and Draco had started dating, Granger had taken it upon herself to be nice to Pansy, though their mutual disdain was clear. However…

Pansy stopped and turned back around. "Granger, do you know Luna Lovegood by any chance?"

Granger seemed taken off guard by this question. "Well, yes!" She answered. "Whenever the boys get annoying, I always spend time with Luna and Ginny. We're all rather close."

"Wonderful." Pansy replied, already devising a plan in her head. Granger could actually be useful.


End file.
